Terms of Service

1. Agreement to These Terms

By using this website, contacting the bench or attending an appointment, you agree to these Terms of Service. If you do not accept them, please do not use the site and do not book an appointment.

If you act on behalf of a company, an estate, a trust or another person, you confirm that you have authority to accept these terms on their behalf and that the person you represent will be bound by them.

2. About the Bench

YIELD DIAMOND LIMITED operates from 6/F Lai Cheung House, 92 Robinson Rd, Mid-Levels, Hong Kong - 999077, Hong Kong (HK). The bench is a private inspection and brokerage room rather than a retail shop, and access is by appointment.

This website is maintained by the developer DiamondYield under the instructions of YIELD DIAMOND LIMITED. The developer provides the technical build of the site and does not sell stones, conduct appraisals or act as an agent for any transaction described on these pages.

The bench is a small operation by design. That means a dedicated contact, a prepared tray and a written note for every item, but it also means the bench can only take on work it can do well. When the diary is full the bench will say so rather than overbook a session and rush the reading.

3. Scope of Services

The bench offers six services: certification review sessions, private viewing appointments, estate stone consignment, resale market appraisals, matching pair sourcing and insurance paperwork runs. Each is described on the services page, and the description there forms part of these terms.

The bench does not grade stones for the issuance of laboratory certificates, does not cut or repair stones, and does not provide legal, tax or investment advice. Where a client needs a service outside this scope, the bench will say so and may refer the client elsewhere.

Nothing on this website is an offer to sell any particular stone. Availability changes as the tray rail changes, and no listing should be read as a firm promise of supply.

4. Enquiries and Booking

The bench keeps a short written record of each enquiry so that a returning client does not have to repeat the background. That record includes the date, the service discussed and the outcome, but it is not used for any purpose beyond running the bench.

An enquiry may be made by email to service@pacbrilliance.lat or by telephone on +14406995695. The bench will confirm which service applies and, where an appointment is appropriate, will offer a slot during business hours.

A booking is confirmed only when the bench has replied in writing with a date and time. Sending an enquiry does not reserve a slot. If you need to change a confirmed appointment, please give as much notice as possible so the tray can be reset for another client.

The contact form on this site prepares an email in your own mail application. A message is not received by the bench until you send it from that application, and the bench cannot act on a draft that was never transmitted.

5. Appointments and Attendance

The office is reached by the building lift on Robinson Road. The bench will send brief arrival instructions with the confirmation so that a first time visitor does not have to search the floor. Please allow a little time for building security.

The viewing room holds one party at a time. Please arrive at the agreed time, because a late arrival may shorten the session or require it to be rescheduled. The bench will make reasonable allowance for travel delays where the client gives notice.

You may bring one companion or an independent adviser unless the bench agrees otherwise in advance. All attendees must respect the tray rules: items stay on the mat, hands are clean and dry, and no stone is removed from the room without a written record.

Photography is permitted unless the bench states otherwise for a specific item. Recording of staff or of other clients is not permitted at any time.

6. The Nature of a Bench Reading

A reading is taken under controlled light because daylight, office lighting and shop lighting each flatter a stone differently. The arch is positioned to mimic a neutral viewing condition, and the client is encouraged to look through the loupe and see what the bench sees, rather than accept a conclusion on trust.

A bench reading is the considered opinion of the bench based on a visual inspection under controlled light and on the documents presented. It is not a laboratory certificate and it does not replace one.

Opinion grading is inherently a matter of judgement. Two experienced readers may differ within a grade near a boundary, and mounting, lighting and the condition of the stone can affect what is visible. The bench explains its reasoning in the written note so that a reader can follow how the conclusion was reached.

Where the bench identifies a concern that requires laboratory confirmation, it will recommend a submission. The bench does not submit items to a laboratory on the client behalf unless a separate written instruction and fee arrangement are in place.

7. Consignment Terms

Where an estate is involved, the bench will deal only with the person who has authority to consign the items. That usually means the executor, trustee or appointed representative. Documentation of that authority is recorded on the file before any item leaves the intake tray.

The bench may decline a consignment where the ownership position is unclear, where a certificate conflict cannot be resolved, or where the item cannot be handled safely. A refusal is explained and, where possible, an alternative route is suggested.

Items accepted for consignment are recorded on a written schedule that lists the lot tag, a description, the condition as found and the agreed asking basis. The client should read the schedule before signing, because it becomes the authoritative record of what was received.

Consigned items remain the property of the consignor until a sale is completed and settled. The bench holds the items as bailee and may show them to prospective buyers under the confidentiality rules in these terms. The bench will not sell an item at a figure below the agreed minimum without written approval from the consignor.

The consignment period is stated on the schedule and is usually ninety days. Either party may end it early on written notice, and the client may withdraw an item at any time on reasonable notice. Withdrawn items must be collected within thirty days of notice.

Commission is calculated on the settled sale figure and is stated on the schedule before signature. Where a buyer fails to complete, no commission is earned and the item returns to the rail.

8. Appraisals and Valuations

An appraisal is dated and reflects the market at that date. A client relying on an older report for a sale or a renewal should ask for a refresh, because prices and demand can shift between seasons and an outdated figure can mislead a counterparty.

A resale appraisal is an opinion of the likely achievable price in the market as at the date of the report. It is not a guarantee of sale and it is not an insurance replacement value unless the report expressly says so.

Appraisals rely on the accuracy of the information supplied by the client and on the certificates presented. Where a certificate is missing, expired or inconsistent with the stone, the report will state the assumption made and the effect on the figure.

Appraisal reports are prepared for the client named on the report and may not be relied upon by a third party without the written consent of the bench. The bench accepts no duty of care to a reader who obtains a copy indirectly.

9. Matching Pair Sourcing

The bench keeps a record of the target stone so that a search can resume in a later season without starting over. That record includes the characteristics that matter for a match and does not include the client private financial details.

Sourcing is provided on a best efforts basis within an agreed window. The bench cannot guarantee that a suitable partner stone will be found, and a failure to find one within the window entitles the client to end the search without further fee beyond any agreed search retainer.

Candidates are described to the client with any meaningful differences noted. The client makes the final decision. A stone is not reserved for the client until a written reservation has been agreed with the bench.

10. Insurance Paperwork Runs

A run is scheduled well before a renewal date where possible. If a deadline is tight, the bench will say plainly what can be completed in time and what cannot, rather than promise a package that will arrive late and be rejected by the insurer.

The paperwork service assembles measurements, photographs and descriptions in the form requested by the client insurer. The bench does not act as an insurer, a broker or a loss adjuster.

The completed package is handed to the client, who is responsible for filing it with the insurer. The bench does not correspond with an insurer on the client behalf unless a signed authority is held, and it does not make representations about coverage.

11. Fees and Payment

No fee is charged for a brief initial conversation about which service applies. A fee begins only when a session is booked or a written engagement is agreed, and the amount is always confirmed in writing before work starts.

Fees for each service are set out in the written quotation or schedule provided before work begins. Unless otherwise stated, fees are quoted in Hong Kong dollars and are payable on completion of the session or within fourteen days of invoice.

Where a search retainer is agreed, it is payable in advance and is offset against the final sourcing fee if a stone is purchased through the bench. Third party costs such as laboratory fees, shipping and insurance are passed on at cost with the client approval.

Late payment may attract interest at a reasonable commercial rate, and the bench may suspend work on an active consignment or paperwork run while an undisputed invoice remains unpaid.

12. Client Responsibilities

The client should disclose any known treatment, repair or mounting issue when the item is presented. The bench will read the stone as found, but a known history helps to interpret what the lamp reveals and prevents a surprise later.

The client confirms that items brought to the bench are lawfully held and free of any undisclosed claim, lien or restriction. Where an item is subject to a third party interest, the client must disclose it before consignment.

The client must provide accurate contact details and keep the bench informed of any change. Where a client acts for an estate or a company, the client must provide the authority the bench reasonably requests.

The client is responsible for collecting items at the agreed time and for settling any storage charge that arises from a late collection.

13. Risk and Insurance of Items

The bench does not accept items by post without prior written arrangement. Where a courier delivery has been agreed, the client bears the risk in transit and should ensure the shipment is insured for its full value.

Items are handled with care, but the client remains responsible for insuring their property unless the bench has agreed in writing to arrange cover. The bench maintains its own business insurance, which does not replace the client policy.

Stones are kept in a locked cabinet when the bench is closed. The bench will notify the client promptly if any loss or damage is discovered, and will cooperate with the client insurer in the handling of a claim.

14. Limitation of Liability

The bench is not liable for a market outcome that differs from an appraisal opinion, because an opinion describes the likely achievable price at a point in time and not a promise of what a buyer will offer.

Nothing in these terms excludes liability that cannot lawfully be excluded, including liability for fraud or for death or personal injury caused by negligence.

Subject to that, the bench is not liable for indirect or consequential loss, including loss of profit, loss of opportunity or loss of market movement after the date of a report. The total liability of the bench in relation to any engagement is limited to the fee paid for that engagement.

The bench is not responsible for the acts or defaults of a laboratory, an insurer, a shipper or a buyer, although it will assist the client in resolving a problem where it reasonably can.

15. Intellectual Property

The visual design of this site, including its layout and styling, is original work and may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from YIELD DIAMOND LIMITED.

The text, layout and code of this website are protected by copyright and are provided for your personal information. You may not copy, republish or adapt substantial parts of the site without written permission.

Bench notes, appraisal reports and schedules remain the property of YIELD DIAMOND LIMITED, and the client is granted a licence to use them for their own appraisal, insurance or sale purposes. Photographs of client items remain governed by the permission given at the bench.

16. Confidentiality

Staff and contractors are bound by confidentiality undertakings that continue after their engagement ends. The bench keeps a record of who has accessed a client file and reviews access whenever a role changes.

The bench treats the identity of consignors, the details of collections and the price agreed with buyers as confidential. A prospective buyer is shown what is necessary to evaluate an item and no more.

The client agrees to keep confidential any information the bench shares about a buyer, a seller or another client, and not to use that information to approach a party directly during an active engagement.

Confidentiality obligations do not prevent disclosure required by law or by a regulator acting within its powers, or disclosure needed to enforce these terms.

17. Suspension and Termination

The bench may suspend or end an engagement where a client provides false information, fails to pay an undisputed invoice, behaves abusively toward staff or attempts to move an item without a record.

On termination, the client must collect any items still held within thirty days of written notice, and any balance owing becomes immediately due. Clauses dealing with confidentiality, liability and dispute resolution survive termination.

18. Governing Law and Disputes

These terms are governed by the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. The parties will first attempt to resolve any dispute through good faith discussion at the bench or by correspondence.

If discussion does not resolve the matter within thirty days, the dispute may be referred to the courts of Hong Kong, which will have exclusive jurisdiction. Nothing in this clause prevents either party from seeking urgent relief where that is necessary.

19. Changes to These Terms

The bench may update these terms from time to time to reflect changes in the services or in the law. The current version is always available on this page, and the date shown in the header reflects the latest update.

A change does not affect the terms of an engagement already confirmed in writing unless the client agrees. Continued use of the website after an update indicates acceptance of the revised terms.

20. Contact

Questions about these terms should be sent to the bench in writing. We will respond within a reasonable time.